Battle Royale II – Fractures and Formations

The stone was warm beneath Kazuo's palms.

His breath came shallow. His ribs ached.

He pushed himself up to one knee, blinking sweat from his lashes — only to see him still there.

Rulthan. Towering.

Kazuo's voice rasped, raw:"You? Why did you save me?"

For a moment, Rulthan didn't answer. His gaze drifted over the chaos — Yuki and Kaien trading blows, Rhakka crashing through another fighter — before settling back on Kazuo.

His voice came low, steady: "I don't like ganging up on just one man. That's not fun."

He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "I want to crush you when you're still standing."

A pause. His tone dropped, quieter."Only when that eye is full of despair… will I take it. You owe me that."

Kazuo swallowed hard. His chest burned with each breath.

But Rulthan was already turning away, footsteps heavy against the marble, cracking his knuckles as he moved toward the next clash.

Kazuo watched him go, confusion knotting in his gut.

…What was that all about?

At the Squad Stands—

Sora slumped back against the railing, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her tail flicked once, then stilled.

"Phew." She let the word out like steam. "I thought he was done for."

Beside her, Tetsu adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing. "Strange… why did Rulthan save him?"

Sora shrugged, her voice sharp but steady. "Doesn't matter. All that matters is Kazuo's still in the ring."

Up in the Captain's Gallery

Vaskel's squinting his eyes, jaw ticking as he leaned forward.

"What… is this idiot doing?"

Shiranami scoffed. "Looks like your beast found a brain."

Vaskel didn't respond. His fingers flexed once, resting on the railing like he wanted to crush it.

Setsuna said nothing — but his gaze followed Kazuo, unmoving.

Back to the arena

Kazuo had barely pushed himself to his feet when she struck.

Kaya.

Silent movement — sharp and sudden, like stone through still air.

A high kick snapped toward his head. Kazuo raised his arm just in time, the impact rattling down to his elbow.

She spun with her weight, sweeping low for his shin.

Kazuo leapt back to retreat.

He landed light, breath caught in his throat.

Kaya paused.

Her eyes flicked up with confusion.

Why didn't he attack?

Does he think I'm beneath him?

Kazuo steadied his breathing, fists loose at his sides. Ready.

Her gaze sharpened. A twitch broke through her composure.

Kazuo saw it.

She was furious — and the anger was aimed at him.

But the thought stopped there.

The truth settled in, quiet and sharp:

If I keep trading her one-on-one like this… I'll lose.

She was faster in close quarters. Every dodge, every redirection — barely enough. And she hadn't even broken a sweat.

Kazuo's eyes flicked sideways. Aoi and Sylvain were locked in a clash across the ring. Distant, but brutal.

Should I fall back? Let Kaya waste her energy and go after him instead?

Too late.

She was already in his space — fast and direct. A sudden step, a sharp twist — she was aiming for him again.

Kazuo's body braced — too slow.

Her palm strike shot toward his throat.

He twisted his torso. Took the hit on his shoulder.

Pain flared. A step back — then another strike, straight for his sternum.

Kazuo stumbled back — foot scraping the marble as Kaya's strike clipped his ribs.

"Damn it—" How do I counter that pressure? She's too fast. I can't disengage.

Then—

Setsuna's advice echoed in his memory.

Use your limbs like the blade. I never taught you close combat — so become the weapon.

Kazuo exhaled.

It's reckless. But holding back isn't working. This might be my only shot.

His stance shifted. Lower. Centered.

Fists loose. Breath steady.

No more retreat.

He moved in.

She came again.

He didn't dodge.

He stepped in.

His shoulder took her knee — hard — but he absorbed it with a twist and thrust his elbow up toward her jaw.

She blocked — barely — and for the first time, her footwork stumbled.

Kazuo followed. Not precise — but fast.

A knee to her ribs. A fist to her arm.

She deflected, countered with a hooked kick — caught him across the ribs — but he rolled with it, spun with the blow, and came back with a punch aimed at her side.

It wasn't clean.

But it was enough to push her back.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Lyria hadn't moved an inch.

Her arms hung loosely by her sides. Her eyes, half-lidded — as if this entire match bored her.

But behind that calm... something turned.

So much energy wasted.

Fists flying, bodies tumbling, all for what?

Let them pant and panic.

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

Lyria's gaze swept across the chaos.

Kazuo and Kaya clashing. Aoi exchanging blows with Sylvain. Rhakka and Yuki leaping wild through the fray and kaien catching his breath.

But—

Someone was missing.

Her eyes scanned the arena.

Where's—

The air shifted behind her.

Too late for comfort.

She spun just as a fist carved through where her ribs had been.

The blow cracked the marble instead, shards erupting like shrapnel.

Lyria landed a few paces back, heels clicking lightly. Her posture was still graceful — but her voice carried sharpness now:

"Stupid ogre. You're as loud as you are predictable."

Rulthan stepped forward, knuckles flexing, shoulders broad and looming.

"I do hate peasants," he muttered. "But I hate bystanders even more — the ones who just stand and watch while others do the beating."

She tilted her head, brushing dust from her sleeve.

"I simply don't waste energy when others are doing the job for me."

Rulthan's eyes hardened.

"Then let's waste some now."

Kazuo braced himself again, sweat dripping from his temple, lungs burning. Kaya's last strike had rattled him — and she wasn't done.

But—

She stopped.

Chest rising. Shoulders tense.

Kazuo, too, had paused. Sweat lined his jaw. His fingers twitched faintly as he adjusted his stance.

They were both breathing hard now.

Kaya looked him directly in the eyes.

"You're reckless," she muttered.

She stepped back a half-foot — and only then noticed the edge.

Just behind her.

Too close.

Her posture shifted subtly, weight realigning.

One more step and she'd be over.

He clenched his teeth.

I'm so close. Just one more push.

He lunged. Kaya braced—

But someone moved faster.

A blur slipped between them.

Aoi.

He slid in with surgical ease, arm sweeping to intercept. His forearm clashed with Kazuo's chest — halting him mid-charge.

Kazuo stumbled back, breath catching in his throat.

"Tch." Kaya clicked her tongue. Her gaze cut to Aoi. "I don't need your help."

Aoi didn't look her way.

His voice was smooth.

"If we want him gone, it'll be faster together."

Kaya didn't answer. She didn't nod. And doesn't trust him at all.

Her fingers twitched once.

Then she stepped.

Beside him.

Side by side. An agreement, unspoken but absolute.

Kazuo's chest tightened.

"Well this is certainly bad."

Aoi tilted his head toward him. The smallest smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Sorry, Kazuo. But you started it."